What the generator does
Type or paste an ISBN. The tool looks it up in Open Library first and in Google Books if Open Library has no record, then fills in the author, title, publisher and year. Choose a style and the citation appears, with the matching in-text form. Everything in the form can be edited before you copy.
ISBN-10 and ISBN-13 both work, with or without hyphens. ISBNs had 10 digits until the end of 2006. Since January 1, 2007 they have 13, usually starting with 978 or 979.
Why the edition matters
An ISBN names one edition in one format. That is its strength and its weakness. It finds the exact book you hold, but the record you get back is for that ISBN only. If your instructor expects a particular edition, or you read a library copy of a different printing, the year and the publisher may not be the ones you want.
Page numbers belong to an edition too. A quotation from page 112 of one printing may be on a different page of another. Cite the edition you actually used.
Chapters, translations and editors
A chapter in an edited book is cited differently from the whole book. If you used one chapter, switch the form to Book chapter and add the chapter title and the editors of the book. For a translated work, add the translator.
When the ISBN isn’t found
Small presses, older books and self-published titles are often missing from both databases. If nothing comes back, type the details in. The title page and the copyright page have everything you need.
Questions people ask
Where do I find the ISBN?
On the back cover near the barcode, or on the copyright page at the front of the book. For an e-book, look on the store page or in the book's details. Digits can be written with or without hyphens.
Why are there so many ISBNs for one title?
A book gets a new ISBN for each format (hardback, paperback, EPUB) and for each substantially revised edition. Small corrections or a new price don't get a new one. Use the ISBN of the copy you read.
Do I put the ISBN in my reference?
Most styles, including APA, don't. The ISBN is for finding the book. The generator uses it to look the record up and leaves it out of the citation.
The year or publisher doesn't match my copy.
The record describes one edition. Book databases mix publishers and dates from different printings, so compare the year, edition and publisher with the title page of your own copy and edit the form if they differ.
Do I need the city of publication?
In Chicago's author-date system, no. The current quick guide says place of publication is no longer required for books. Other styles and many Harvard guides ask for different details, so the generator follows the style you choose.
Official sources
- International ISBN Agency: What is an ISBN?
- International ISBN Agency: ISBN assignment
- Chicago Manual of Style: Citation quick guide, author-date
We paraphrase official guidance and link to it. When in doubt, follow the source and your instructor.